What is the Water Quality in Kabarole District, Uganda?

Surveyed February 2024

Kabarole District is a district in Western Uganda, part of the Tooro Kingdom. Its main town was Fort Portal before 1 July 2020, when it was elevated to a city, separating it from the Kabarole district. Busoro Town Council proposes the new Kabarole district seat. Kabarole remains with only one county (Burahya). Bunyangabu county was curved out to form Bunyangabu district in 2017. Fort Portal Municipality constituency became Fort Portal City in 2020 with an independent local Government.

The Aquaya Institute is coordinating longitudinal water quality monitoring in two target districts in Uganda (WaterTRACS). In February 2024, Aquaya conducted surveys and water quality testing at households, water points, schools, and healthcare facilities in Kabarole District. This effort builds upon prior monitoring.

Timeline of drinking water samples tested in Kabarole District, Uganda

Water points

We conducted surveys and tested E. coli at 246 water points in February 2024. A fifth of water samples (20%) were free from microbial contamination, defined as E. coli <1 CFU/100 mL, consistent with previous survey rounds. Water was safest from boreholes with hand pumps and protected springs (41% free from E. coli), and surface water was least safe (none free from E. coli). Across all survey rounds, water was consistently safest from boreholes with hand pumps. Water from protected springs, dug wells with hand pumps, and unprotected springs had slightly better quality during the dry season (F2, F3) compared to the wet season (BL, F1)

E. coli risk levels in water point samples collected at BL (N=226), F1 (N=173), F2 (N=244), and F3 (N=246) survey rounds, displayed by water point type.

Households

Overall, 12% of the 208 household drinking water samples were free from E. coli, and nearly half (42%) were in the highest risk category (>100 CFU/100 mL E. coli). Across all survey rounds, stored household water sourced from piped systems and protected springs was generally the safest. Water from unimproved water points, such as surface water and unprotected springs, was the least safe. Household samples had consistently higher E. coli levels than samples collected directly from the source. Household water storage and treatment practices were similar across survey rounds.

In the most recent survey, 83% of households reported drinking water from improved water points, including piped systems, protected dug wells with hand pumps, and protected springs. Piped water was reported most often. Half of the stored piped water samples had detectable free chlorine, but no samples were above 0.2 mg/L.

Institutions

We surveyed 53 schools and 20 healthcare facilities and tested E. coli from their primary and secondary drinking water points. Nearly all schools (93%) and all healthcare facilities used improved water points, and most (84%) had basic water service (i.e., an improved water point on premises with water available). Across all survey rounds, the most common primary drinking water points at institutions included piped sources, mechanized boreholes, and rainwater. Healthcare facilities had higher access to piped water than schools. Less than half (41%) of institutional water points were free from E. coli.

Summary

^{This work (WaterTRACS) is supported by funding from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation.}